166 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



party. So lie raised these berries here in town. Well, I do know 

 A. N. Cole, and I think he has succeeded in raising better straw- 

 berries than children, for let me tell you, that his Republican 

 children have given us Democrats a mighty sight of trouble." 



" Yes, sir ; that is so. He generally succeeds with anything he 

 undertakes." 



" How many of those berries does it take to make a quart " 



" About twenty to thirty ; I suppose an average of twenty-five 

 would cover it." 



" Why ! you had better sell them for a cent apiece." 



" Well, they sell at that as fast as lightning. They don't stay on 

 hand long." 



Of course I knew whose berries they were, as soon as I saw 

 them. It was only a whim of mine to interview the grocery- 

 man. 



The next day a party of us were visiting your grounds, and you 

 may well remember the liberties taken by me at that time. I then 

 had with me a powerful glass, and I was determined to investigate 

 matters thoroughly. I examined the roots, leaves, stalks and ber- 

 ries of your strawberry vines. I dissected and investigated them 

 in every imaginable way, as also the pea vines, cauliflower, cabbage, 

 and in fact all vegetables and vegetation within your grounds ; 

 and as I told you at that time, I did not find a single exception, 

 w r herein a plant was not perfectly clean and healthy. No fungi to 

 be found anywhere. Root, stalk, leaf, twig and fruit all in perfect 

 health, and absolutely free from fungus or parasites. Strawber- 

 ries larger than plums ; and everything in like proportion. Even 

 the timothy and other grasses seemed brighter, fresher and more 

 luxuriant. 



Of course, I enquired into the expense per acre of such a system, 

 which I cannot pretend to give from memory; I will leave that to 



